3 takeaways from Senators' insane 8-7 overtime win against Kings
After splitting their first two games of the 2024-25 season, the Ottawa Senators returned home for their first of three games at home against the Los Angeles Kings. The Senators had a great chance to earn confidence returning home after a tough 4-1 road loss in their last game against the Montreal Canadiens.
In one of the craziest games in Senators history, the Senators found a way to prevail and refused to give up.
The Senators defeated the Kings 8-7 in overtime at Canadian Tire Centre. The Senators improved to 2-1-0 with the win. Josh Norris' second goal of the game won the game in overtime for the Senators.
Neuf wanted to keep going. He wanted to score number 9. We told him Josh it's just not possible. So he said fine let's go home.#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/iJy398MXhA
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) October 14, 2024
The Senators appeared to be down and out when they were down 3-1 and 4-2 in the second period, but the Senators have shown early into the season they will fight until the end.
3. An unexpected performance from Zack MacEwen
After not playing in the season opener this past Thursday, Zack MacEwen played in the Senators' recent game on Saturday. MacEwen got to play in his second game of the season, and made a huge impact for Ottawa.
Last season, MacEwen scored just two goals in 30 games for the Senators. Today, MacEwen scored two goals in the third period, and was one of the players that sparked a four-goal second period. MacEwen scored to make it 3-2 after Anton Forsberg was pulled, and then scored the goal to tie the game at five in the final minutes of the second period.
MacEwen may have only had 5:14 minutes of ice time, but the Senators needed to get goal scoring outside of their elite goal scorers on the team. Prior to today, Tim Stutzle scored three of the Senators' four goals this season, and now MacEwen scored two goals today.
Today was MacEwen's second two-goal game of his career, and first since March 2020. With the energy MacEwen brought, the Senators can feed off his energy. MacEwen also had a fight in the first period against the Kings' Tanner Jeannot.
2. Offensive explosion at last; the stat sheet fills up for players
The Senators were in desperate need of an offensive explosion after only scoring four goals in the first two games of the season. Safe to say, the Senators got the offensive explosion that they were looking for after finishing the game with 41 shots on goal against Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper.
The Senators exploded for eight goals in the game. Four of the eight goals were scored on the powerplay. The Senators went 4-of-6 on the powerplay, and 11 different players recorded at least one point in the game.
Razzle dazzle 'em G 🤩#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/y153P9sKO1
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) October 14, 2024
Josh Norris and Zack MacEwen scored two goals each, and Norris added an assist for a three-point game. Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson each recorded a three-point game. Although Stutzle entered today with three goals, Stutzle recorded three assists in the win.
Jake Sanderson, Brady Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot each recorded a two-point game. Newly acquired defenseman Nick Jensen also recorded an assist for the second consecutive game.
Coming into today, the Senators needed to get offensive production from more than their top point scorers on the team. The fact that the Senators had 11 different players get on the stat sheet today matters a lot. It's important for any team that they can rely on their depth to pick up points when needed. If the Senators continue to get offensive production from their depth, they can be a deep team up front.
1. Although the win was needed, one area is drawing a major concern
The Senators may have won in dramatic fashion in overtime, but there is one area that is drawing a major concern despite scoring eight goals, and that area is goaltending.
Prior to the game, the Senators called up Mads Sogaard due to Linus Ullmark being injured. Anton Forsberg got the start in goal and it went ugly. Forsberg was pulled after the Kings took a 3-1 lead 5:31 into the second period. Forsberg allowed in three goals on nine shots on goal.
Sogaard came in and tried to limit the damage, but the Kings were still able to score. Sogaard finished allowing in four goals on 17 shots on goal. At one point in the second period, the Senators allowed five goals on 15 shots.
Today showed the huge value that Ullmark has, but it also showed that the Senators will have to rely heavily on Ullmark's goaltending abilities after the Senators' goaltenders allowed in seven goals. Forsberg needs to earn the Senators' trust back and played like he did in the 2021-22 season, but today he played poorly.
If Forsberg continues to struggle this season, it puts the Senators in a desperate position to try and trade him or waive him, but Sogaard showed he's still not NHL ready. The Senators may have won today, but fans need to be heavily concerned about goaltending if Ullmark isn't starting.